– The cyclocross season is essentially done here in the good ‘ole USA, but there’s still quite a bit of racing to be had in Europe. USA Cycling will announce (soon) its selection of riders for CX World Championships, which take place Jan 31 and Feb 1 in Tabor, Czech Republic. Say it with us Tah-bore, not Tae-bor.

– And finally, the CCC site will be going into hibernation for the winter but we’ll have occasional updates as needed. We’d like to say again we had a great time again this season and look forward see you all in ~9 months!

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 310,000 times in 2014. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 13 days for that many people to see it.

– Speaking of… good luck to all Chicagoland and MidWest CX racers heading to Austin, TX next week where it looks like you’ll be racing in shorts and maybe arm warmers!

– This spring, Craig Abrams will be conducting the second round of a study on the effect of core strength training and VO2max in cyclists. He is working with Josh Friedman, owner and coach at ATP Race Consulting and Neil Krulewitz, medical student at the University of New England in Portland, Maine. The first round of their study, which they conducted this past summer was very successful. Abrams saw trends in the data that suggest a correlation between core strength and both power output and VO2max. He plans to repeat the study in early April, and would like to recruit as many cyclist as possible to participate. Because he are using calculated VO2max, individuals can complete the study anywhere they have access to a power meter and the open road (or trainer). The researchers believe they have some great insights on the horizon for cyclists everywhere. Sign up here: http://nkrulewitz.wix.com/vo2max-study

– And finally… Happy New Year!

Filed under: Updates]]>http://chicrosscup.com/2014/12/30/tuesday-ccc-updates-153/feed/1chicagocrosscupMerry Christmas!!!http://chicrosscup.com/2014/12/25/merry-christmas-6/
http://chicrosscup.com/2014/12/25/merry-christmas-6/#commentsThu, 25 Dec 2014 14:00:41 +0000http://chicrosscup.com/?p=5147]]>From all of us here at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, to all of you out there, whether you race CX or not… have a Very.Merry.Christmas.

– We know everyone had a great time last Saturday at Afterglow – A Cyclocross Race, hosted by the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew. This event is more about fun than race results, but more than a few riders are still racing strong in preparation for CX Nationals in Austin, TX in just 2 weeks! In any event, full results are here and here.

– More importantly than fun or results, Afterglow helps raise funds for West Town Bikes and Blackstone Bikes, two fantastic youth cycling programs based here in Chicago. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the individuals who donated, all the parents who donated their CCC junior entry fee reimbursements ($1,000 total which the Chicago Cyclocross Cup matched), and the Pony Shop and ROBOTS <3 who both donated >$1,000 to the event. At the end of the day the Chicagoland CX community raised >5,000 total for West Town and Blackstone. This is fantastic and great way to end the Chicago CX season.

– Speaking of donations, the Chicago Cyclocross Cup has been collecting money for World Bicycle Relief throughout the season and on Monday wrote a check for $350 to WBR. In the month of December all WBR donations are matched by a wealthy member of the Chicago cycling community, so that is $700 going to WBR, enough for 5+ bikes. Again, well done everyone!

– CX racing around the country, and the world, still isn’t done yet for this season. Good luck and safe travels to everyone heading to Austin, TX for USAC CX Nationals January 7-11. And Cyclocross continues in Europe until the end of January, culminating with CX World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic Jan 31/Feb 1. We haven’t heard of any Chicagoland riders going, but CX Masters World Championships are January 3rd and 4th in Gossau, Switzerland.

– And finally… we here at the CCC are very thankful and feel grateful to have shared another CX season with everyone. Sure its a bit of work to put the series together every year, but the memories and friends we gain every year, and the ones we keep from year to year to year to year to year are more than worth it. So whether you are celebrating Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Diwali, or nothing at all over the next few days, remember this time of year is all about friends and families. And as Newt Cole said way back in 2009 (at 9:25, but seriously, rewatch the entire video), the CCC is all about the people, and we couldn’t agree more. Happy Holidays!

– It looks and sounds like everyone had a good time at MWRCXC and a few Chicagoland CCC’ers even hit the podium (of course) before hitting the beer garden (of course). Congratulations to everyone who traveled and raced. Results are not yet online.

– Then on Sunday we wrap it all up (quite literally) at the 2014 CCC Awards Party at EJ’s place in Skokie. Everyone is invited to attend but please purchase your tickets ahead of time so we know how many people to expect. And given the prize donations that have been coming in from The Pony Shop, SRAM, Sheila Moon, ABUS, Yojimbo’s, SmartBikeParts, Spin Doctors, Spy, Main Street Bikes, and Red Writing we’re pretty sure everyone will go home with something.

– And finally… Waaay back in August we announced Junior racers would have to pay entry fees but (if they qualified) could request an entry fee reimbursement at the end of the season. We will obviously still honor those requests but a very generous and forward thinking “cutting” edge parent asked if they could donate their child’s reimbursement to the West Town and Blackstone youth programs, which we are more than happy to do. Then the Pony Shop caught wind of the idea and their entire junior team donated their reimbursements to West Town and Blackstone… even before winning the Afterglow awesomeness award. So juniors and your parents, please contact us at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail this week to let us know how you would like your reimbursement handled. Thanks and Happy Holidays!

– Thanks again to Ten27 Cycling Club, Spidermonkey Cycling, and all the volunteers who made the 2014 Illinois State Cyclocross Championship at Montrose Harbor a success. The Schneider sisters Skylar and Samantha came down from Wisconsin to lift the pace in the Women Cat 1/2/3 race with Skylar leading Samantha across the line at the finish. Sydney Guagliardo (Verdigris-Village CX) wasn’t far behind in 3rd to round out the podium and also claim the state championship jersey and seal up the CCC series overall title. In the Men’s Cat 1/2/3 race David Lombardo (Verdigris-Village CX) road a smart and fast race to a solo win and also his first state championship jersey. Ian Haupt from WI was 2nd and David Reyes rounded out the podium adding to his lead in the CCC series overall which he had already locked up 2 weeks prior at Melas CX. Possibly the most dramatic race of the day was the Single Speed category in which the top 3 men in the CCC overall battled it out the entire race and then came down to a 3-up sprint at the finish line with Lucas Seibel getting the best of Mike Conroy and Peter Chrapkowski (who sewed up the CCC overall). All three riders then jumped into the Cat 1/2/3 race later in the day.

– And then finally the CCC Awards Party (its a party, NOT a banquet) wraps it all up on Sunday 12/21/14 at EJ’s Place in Skokie. We’ll be awarding the series overall cowbells and prizes but everyone is invited, not just overall winners. Come hang out and nab yourself a sweet door prize.

– And finally… the CCC site will wind down on the next few weeks. We’ll continue to post Tuesday updates through USA CX Nationals and they sporadically as need. We here at the CCC would again like to thank everyone for being a part of the 2015 series. We had a ton of fun and we hope you did too!

– Ten27 Cycles and Spidermonkey Cycling host the last stop of the 2014 CCC… the Illinois State CX Championships at Montrose Harbor. We ask everyone to bundle up, bring your cowbells, cameras, drones, noise makers (leave the vuvuzelas at home please) and make a day out of Montrose…

– This year’s party will be bigger and better than ever. Ten27 is bringing in a large heated tent with clear sidewalls in which you can gather to watch racers struggle as they plow through the sand. Goose Island will be pouring 312 Urban Wheat Ale inside. The Big Star food truck will be serving their famous tacos and other food at the curb. Sponsor tents will be gathered into an Expo Area between registration, the finish area, and the podiums where the state champion jerseys will be awarded throughout the day of racing.

– Registration: We’ll be running reg the same way as every other CCC race. Please allow all 35+ racers to pick up their numbers first since they have to get ready first. Several fields are either already full or very close. Online waitlists are on BikeReg. All categories have a field limit of 100 riders. After No-Shows are removed we put in the online waitlisted riders, then its first come, first served until we hit the 100 rider limit. Online pre-reg closes tonight… so if you’re not yet reg’d, do everyone (yourself included) a favor and reg now!

– Montrose would not be possible without the generous support of the race sponsors below. Please find a way to thank them at the events this weekend:

– Staging: Staging will follow the same protocol we’ve been using all season long in the series. See the procedure here.

– Preliminary staging will be posted here on Friday. Email us at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail if you have problems.

– State Champion Requirements: Ten27 Cycling, Spidermonkey Cycling, and the ICA will be presenting 19 Illinois State CX Champion Jerseys (on the podiums) to the first IL rider to cross the finish line in every category (excluding the 4/5’s). This means Juniors 17-18, 15-16, 13-14, AND Juniors 9-12… boys AND girls, Women Cat 3, and yes even the 65+! Remember that in order to win the state championship you must be a permanent Illinois resident (we’ll be checking state/federal ID’s), a US citizen or permanent resident, and hold a valid and unsuspended 2014 USAC annual licensebefore the start of the race (yes, we’re looking at you Cat 4’s). There must also be a full podium of IL riders (that means 3) to win the state jersey. This should not be a problem in any category.

– Podiums presentations for each race (top 3 overall in the race) AND and for the IL state championship (top 3 IL riders in the race) will occur immediately after each race finish… so pay attention after your race, Chris Zigmont may be calling your name!

– While a few riders have already locked up their CCC overall titles (see riders in yellow), there are still 9 very, very, very close categories still to be decided on Sunday. Overall titles will be posted Sunday, but all official overall series awards will be presented at the CCC Awards Party on Sunday December 21st at EJ’s Place. We look forward to celebrating with all of you.

– Jay Ryan has once again created an event poster, the sixth in the series he’s done for this race. Wheel & Sprocket will have these on sale at their tent next to registration and at their store in Evanston after the event. W&S will also have a few left over copies of the last poster Jay did for those looking to complete their collection.

– More than any other factor, the weather usually makes Montrose the legend it is. Right now the forecast is cold with sun. In any event, the weather can always change on a dime, especially next to the lake, so bundle up, dress appropriately, and come prepared with extra warm (& dry) gear.

– Chris Zigmont will be announcing the race.

– Parking: Parking will be on the street only along Simonds Dr. Simonds Drive will be closed to through trafficbetween the staging grid and finish line. You may approach the race course on Simonds Drive from either Wilson Avenue or from Montrose Avenue, but you will have to turn around and leave the same way you came in. Please do not park adjacent to the Type III “road closure” barricades, as Ten27 is required to leave enough room for all cars to turn around at the barricades. Only authorized vehicles (i.e. officials, CCC staff, One2Go Event Services trailer, BigStarTruck, etc) will be allowed within the road closures.

– Bib Numbers: On your LEFT SIDE as always… just like this:

– One2Go Event Services will be back again and providing camera timing and lap times. However, if your bib number is on the wrong side, you will NOT be scored nor will you receive lap times. So pin those numbers correctly.

– Speaking of scoring… Montrose being the State Championship and the last race of the CCC series, the USAC officials will be pulling out-of-contention riders so the race leaders have a clear course. However, everyone will be placed, even if you are several laps down. The only way riders will be listed DNF (did not finish) is if they stop voluntarily. So keep racing until the chief referee tells you to stop. Riders will only be asked to exit the course just past the finish line.

– The equipment pit is just before the last few chicanes before the finish line. Please do NOT leave your spare bikes and wheels in the pit after your race. The next category needs to use the pit too. Wheel & Sprocket will have two mechanics at the event on Sunday, one stationed near registration and one stationed in the Pit Area all day. Near registration, they will also have merchandise for sale. So, no matter whether you find something wrong with your bike or missing when you first arrive or have a mechanical during your race, Wheel & Sprocket will be on hand to help get you back in the game.

– Tents: Given the ever present potential for strong winds, bring weights and stakes. Also, Ten27 will have an expo area near registration with designated tent spots for race sponsors, so please do not set up your tents in these spots or you will be asked to move.

– The Course: Ten27 Cycling’s course designer Chuck Judy has tweaked last year’s course while retaining all of Montrose’s classic features. The course runs anti-clockwise, beginning at the staging grid which will again be on the South side Simonds Dr. The start will be long, and wide, and without sharp turns. The finish line and registration tent will be in the same location as years past, just off the road to the North and near the main sand pit, however the finish line will now be on the paved path. Riders will again have the full width of the tunnel heading southbound under Simonds Drive. The course will then cross back over the tunnel on Simonds Dr to complete the loop, resulting in essentially a paved flyover. Yes the main sand pit will be back, where spectators are all but guaranteed a great view of all the action. As always the final course track will be determined Saturday afternoon and may be altered from the map below.